O.C. Coast Guard officer is focus of probe

OCEAN CITY -- The newly arrived officer in charge of the Coast Guard station here was temporarily relieved of duty yesterday for alleged misconduct while at a post in Virginia.

The action involving Chief Petty Officer James L. Wallace stemmed from "some procurement irregularities" while he headed the Cape Charles station on Virginia's Eastern Shore, said Lt. Cmdr. David Griffith, a spokesman at the Coast Guard's 5th District headquarters in Portsmouth, Va.

Mr. Wallace, a 21-year Coast Guard veteran, was replaced at Ocean City by Chief Petty Officer Robert L. Bennington "while the allegations are investigated," according to a Coast Guard statement. Commander Griffith said such investigations generally are completed within a month.

Rear Adm. W. Ted Leland, commander of the district, relieved Mr. Wallace, who had gone to the 26-member Ocean City station last week after three years at Cape Charles.